A dry, crunchy ring cookie with a clear anise perfume and a brittle crumb built from butter and flour. It bakes up deeply golden, finished with a glossy egg yolk wash and a toasted sesame crunch. Straightforward Puno tradition: it snaps like a cookie and tastes like home.
Pour the hot water over the anise seeds and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the warm infusion; it should smell clear, sweet, and not bitter.
Mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand, with no large pieces of fat.
Add the anise infusion little by little and mix only until a compact dough forms. Do not over-knead: it should come together, but stay short and brittle.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Cover the dough and rest it for 15 minutes at room temperature. It should feel firm, workable, and not sticky; if too soft, chill it for a few minutes.
Divide the dough into small portions, roll each into a rope, and join the ends into rings. Arrange them on a parchment-lined tray, leaving space between each cookie.
Lightly beat the egg yolk just to loosen it, brush the rings, and sprinkle sesame on top. Press gently so the seeds stick without deforming the rings.
Bake at 170°C for 20 to 24 minutes, until golden, firm, and dry. Cool on a rack before storing; they may feel slightly soft at first, but finish crisping as they rest.
